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Binarium
The Best Binary Options Broker 2020!
Perfect For Beginners!
Free Demo Account!
Free Trading Education! -
Binary Options Brokers
We have done the research for you, and tested the most popular binary options brokers.
If you are looking for the best binary options brokers, then check out the list below.
Is Binary Options Available in my Country?
Unfortunately, binary options was been banned in some countries. See the table below to find out if it’s still available in your country. If binary options trading is not available, then we will show you which is the best alternative.
Country | Binary Options Available? | Broker Info | Best Broker |
---|---|---|---|
NO | Trade stocks, indices, currencies. | eToro (visit site) | |
YES | Regulated US Binary Broker | Nadex (visit site) | |
YES | Regulated AU Binary Broker | HighLow (visit site) | |
NO | Trade stocks, indices, currencies. | n/a | |
Mostly YES | Binary Broker for non-EU/US/AU/CA traders | IQ Option (visit site) |
There are some brokers claiming that they accept all countries. Those are probably scams.
Top Rated Binary Options Brokers
It is very important that you sign up with a trusted binary options broker.
Our visitors asked us: “Which is the best binary options broker?“
On this page we will answer that for you (this guide was updated on April, 2020). Keep in mind that this list changes all the time and we update it frequently. The top list contains the most important information about each broker, but you also have the option to read our in-depth reviews as well.
Here is a list with the top rated brokers for binary options trading:
Rank | Broker | Min. Deposit | Max Returns* | Features | Trade** | $10 | 92% | + FREE DEMO | TRADE NOWREAD REVIEW | $50 | 200% | + $50 Cashback | TRADE NOWREAD REVIEW |
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* Credited in case of successful trade
** RISK WARNING: Capital might be at risk
The list above is only available for non-US traders. If you are from the US, then please visit our US Binary Options Brokers page.
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Binarium
The Best Binary Options Broker 2020!
Perfect For Beginners!
Free Demo Account!
Free Trading Education! -
All brokers in this list are safe, secure, legitimate and reputable sites. These are the best binary options brokers, in our opinion.
For new traders, it’s not easy to find the best binary options broker. There are hundreds to binary options brokers on the internet (and more and more are opened every day).
Best Binary Options Brokers
The following brokers are from non-EU and non US traders only:
HighLow is one of the safest brokers. They have an Australian ASIC license which is really hard to get. In fact there are only 2 brokers that have this license. HighLow has payouts up to 200% and great deposit bonuses. Visit HighLow
24Option unfortunately stopped accepting binary option traders. They are regulated by Cysec and they are the safest broker at the moment. Their headquarter is in Cyprus however they also have offices in London,UK. Visit 24Option
Best US Binary Options Brokers
The only US brand we really recommend is Nadex. They are the only regulated brand in the US.
US traders have a hard time picking a good binary options broker. For this reason we have created a special page with all US binary options brokers. There are only a few brokers that accept US investors, however there are still a few ones. See here:
Nadex is currently the only US broker that we recommend. They are regulated in the US and part of the IG brand.Visit Nadex
US Brokers That We Don’t Recommend
We’ve seen mixed reviews about these brands. We have not seen proof that these brokers are scam, but we cannot recommend them either.
Finrally has been the #1 US broker for a long time. They offer an incredible 90% payout, which is one of the highest in the industry. Unfortunately they have recently stopped accepting paypal deposits, however there are still many other payment methods accepted. Finrally accepts traders from all around the world and is one of the top binary options brokers. Visit Finrally
BinaryMate accepts US traders as well and their payout is ever higher: 95%. BinaryMate has the best live chat support from all brokers. In fact all traders are greeted by a nice person via live chat upon accessing the homepage. Visit BinaryMate
How To Pick A Binary Options Broker?
I’ve been trading binary options for quite some time. In my opinion this is what you should be looking for, when searching for a broker:
- Safety: this is probably the most important factor when choosing a binary options broker. We’ve had enough of the scam brokers who make false promises. We are all looking for the safest and most secure trading platforms.
- Banking: some brokers make it so hard to deposit or withdraw money. They either don’t accept your preferred payment method, or don’t send you the withdrawal on time. Simple and secure banking options are really important.
- Reviews: when doing research, not only do we try out some of these brokers, but we also read the reviews of other traders and sites. We combine all these reviews to create and up-to-date unbiased review for our visitors. This can you will find the best information on one page instead of checking tens of other sites and forums.
- Licenses and Regulations: when looking for the best binary options broker, we also look at their licenses and regulations. A regulated broker is always safer then an unregulated one, even though there are pretty good unregulated brokers as well. If you are from the US, you will want to choose a CFTC regulated exchange.
- Platform: Traders need an easy to use trading platform that is simple and intuitive, with many functions.
- Customer Support: When you have a question, the customer support is always there for you. However it’s important that you get an answer soon, and don’t have to wait for it for days. Live chat is a great method to contact the support team, but not all broker offer this feature.
Real Money Binary Options Brokers
You have already made the very first step to becoming a successful investor. You did your research and now you know, which broker is best for you. When choosing the best broker, you should also check out the deposit bonuses they offer.
All brokers offer some kind of depositor bonus: 30% first deposit bonus, 100% bonus, Risk Free Trades or trading signals. You should pick wisely and always read the terms and conditions before accepting any bonus from the brokers.
Some the brokers mentioned above were rated the top minimum deposit binary options brokers.
What Our Readers Asked
Yes. You can really make money with binary options. All you have to do is to register with a safe broker and have a winning strategy.
This depends on your country. In most countries, binary options trading is legal.
Binary options trading is only safe with a licensed and legit broker. However, all investment types are risky.
Binary Options Broker Reputation
One of the most important factors is the broker reputation. You want to trade on a platform that has a positive reputation. The best binary options brokers have a good reputation, while others have a really bad reputation and are even considered scam.
You need a broker that is safe and trustworthy. Never deposit money on a broker that has been in business for a short time. Always pick the brokers that have a clean business history.
Binary Options Brokers
Looking for your next binary options broker? You’ve landed in the right place.Here you will find detailed information, reviews, and ratings about almost all binary options brokers in the industry… or at least the ones that matter enough.Whether you are new to binary options or a seasoned trader looking for a new broker, this is the place to start and find the best broker for you.Never invest before reading the ThatSucks.com broker review first!
Broker name | Regulated | Minimum Deposit | Return/Refund | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
VIPBinary | No | 250 | 60-75%/1-10% | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
TradeSmarter | No | N/A | N/A | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
Banc De Binary | No | 250 | 70-83%/0% | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
OptionBit | Yes | 250 | 70-85%/0% | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
WinOptions | No | 200 | 65-85%/1-10% | N/A / 10 | Visit Now |
Trader369 | No | N/A | N/A | N/A / 10 | Visit Now |
StartOptions | No | 1000 | 68-90%/0-10% | 4.6 / 10 | Visit Now |
Bloombex Options | No | 200 | 68-85%/0-10% | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
EZTrader | Yes | 50 | 70-81%/0-10% | N/A / 10 | Visit Now |
OptionXP | No | 200 | 65-75%/0-10% | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
MinuteOptions | No | 100 | 65-75%/0-10% | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
OptionsClick | Yes | 200 | 60-89%/0-2% | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
TradersRoom | No | 250 | 65-75%/0-10% | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
TraderXP | No | 200 | 65-75%/0-10% | 6.3 / 10 | Visit Now |
Global Option | Yes | 200 | 70-95%/0-10% | 6.1 / 10 | Visit Now |
TradeRush | No | 200 | 65-75%/0-10% | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
BullOption | No | N/A | N/A | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
OptionFair | Yes | 100 | 100% / 0%* | N/A / 10 | Visit Now |
OptionFire | No | 200 | 55-81%/10% | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
Optionet | No | 200 | 65-89%/1-15% | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
GCMBinary | No | 200 | 70-85%/0-10% | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
IOption | No | 250 | 71-83%/0-15% | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
StockPair | Yes | 250 | 75-83%/0% | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
AnyOption | Yes | 200 | 65-80%/5-25% | N/A / 10 | Visit Now |
OptionWorld | No | 200 | 68-75%/5-10% | 5.3 / 10 | Visit Now |
CitiTrader | No | 300 | 65-75%/0-10% | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
XPMarkets | No | 200 | 65-81%/0-10% | 4.9 / 10 | Visit Now |
UBinary | No | 250 | 70-85%/+10% | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
ZoneOptions | Yes | 200 | 70-85%/0-15% | 7.4 / 10 | Visit Now |
OptionNow | No | 250 | 75-85% / 0-15% | 6.3 / 10 | Visit Now |
GOptions | No | 200 | 70-85%/0-10% | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
GTOptions | No | 250 | 65-85%/0% | 6.9 / 10 | Visit Now |
OptionYard | No | 200 | 70-82%/0-10% | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
OptionsXO | No | 250 | 70-89%/0% | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
BDSwiss | Yes | 200 | N/A | 8.5 / 10 | Visit Now |
Dragon Options | Yes | 250 | 65-80%/0-10% | 6.6 / 10 | Visit Now |
Opteck | Yes | 250 | N/A | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
TopOption | Yes | 100 | 72-85%/ 0% | N/A / 10 | Visit Now |
BINOA | No | 100 | 60-85%/0-10% | 5.9 / 10 | Visit Now |
MarketsWorld | No | 10 | 70-90% /0% | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
OneTwoTrade | No | 250 | 60-85% /0% | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
Safe24Options | No | 200 | 68-75%/0-10% | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
IHoptions | No | 200 | 68-89%/5-10% | N/A / 10 | Visit Now |
Binary360 | No | 200 | 60-75%/0-10% | N/A / 10 | Visit Now |
TraderEasy | No | 200 | 65-75%/0-10% | N/A / 10 | Visit Now |
OptionWeb | Yes | 200 | 70-90% /0% | N/A / 10 | Visit Now |
OptionLucky | No | 200 | 68-75%/0-10% | N/A / 10 | Visit Now |
Binary Markets | No | 200 | 68-75%/0-10% | N/A / 10 | Visit Now |
OptionRally | Yes | 250 | 65-81%/ 0% | 7.6 / 10 | Visit Now |
777Binary | No | 200 | 65-75%/0-10% | 5.6 / 10 | Visit Now |
Trading247 | No | 200 | 60-75%/0-10% | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
OptiMarkets | No | 200 | 75-80%/0-10% | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
BNRY | No | 100 | 65-75%/0-10% | 5.0 / 10 | Visit Now |
CedarFinance | No | 200 | 65-75%/0-10% | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
24Bulls | Yes | 250 | 40-85%/0-40% | 6.9 / 10 | Visit Now |
BetonMarkets | Yes | 5 | 50-95%/0% | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
BeeOptions | No | 150 | 60-85%/0-10% | 7.0 / 10 | Visit Now |
ZoneOptions | Yes | 200 | 70-85%/0-15% | 7.4 / 10 | Visit Now |
Redwood Options | No | 500 | 70-81%/1-10% | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
XOptions Trading | No | N/A | N/A | N/A / 10 | Visit Now |
VaultOptions | No | 100 | 65-75%/5-10% | 5.1 / 10 | Visit Now |
OptionGround | No | 200 | 70-85%/0-10% | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
EasyXP | No | 200 | 75-80%/0-10% | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
GrandOption | Yes | 200* | 75-89%/0-10% | 6.4 / 10 | Visit Now |
FMTrader | Yes | 250 | 65-85%/0-10% | N/A / 10 | Visit Now |
Binary | Yes | 10 | 75-90%/0-5% | 9.1 / 10 | Visit Now |
Global Trader 365 | No | 200 | 65-75%/0-10% | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
Regal Options | No | 200 | 75-80%/0-15% | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
Sycamore Options | No | 200 | 65-75%/0-10% | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
TraderWorld | No | 200 | 68-80%/0-10% | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
TitanTrade | No | 350 | 70-85%/0% | N/A / 10 | Visit Now |
LBinary | No | 250 | 70-85%/0-10% | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
PowerOption | Yes | 250 | 70-85%/0% | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
Winner-Option | Yes | 100 | 70-80%/0-5% | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
MarketsKing | No | 250 | 65-85%/0-5% | 6.4 / 10 | Visit Now |
AmberOptions | No | 200 | 70-80%/0-5% | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
PlatinumTrader | No | 350 | 60-80%/0-10% | 5.9 / 10 | Visit Now |
BrokerageCapital | No | 200 | 70-75%/0-5% | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
99Binary | No | 200* | 78-93%/0-10% | 6.9 / 10 | Visit Now |
CTOption | No | 250 | 70-80%/0-15% | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
BossCapital | No | 250 | 63-85%/0-10% | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
RBOptions | No | 250 | 75-88%/0% | 7.4 / 10 | Visit Now |
CallandPut | No | 250 | 65-85%/0% | 6.4 / 10 | Visit Now |
UKOptions | No | 250 | 70-82%/0-5% | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
BinaryTilt | No | 250 | 70-85%/0-3% | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
IQ Option | Yes | 10 | 75-92%* | 9.3 / 10 | Visit Now |
MagnumOptions | No | 500 | 70-85%/1-10% | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
BigOption | No | 100 | 70-85%/0% | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
OptionMint | No | 250 | 68-85%/0-10% | 5.5 / 10 | Visit Now |
CherryTrade | No | 200 | 65-85%/-% | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
10Trade | Yes | 200 | 70-81%/ 10% | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
No1Options | No | 500 | 75-89%/0-10% | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
SpotFN | No | 250 | 70-88%/0% | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
OnlyOption | Yes | 200 | 70-85%/0-10% | 7.3 / 10 | Visit Now |
InsideOption | No | 500 | 78-84%/0% | 7.0 / 10 | Visit Now |
Tradorax | No | 250 | 70-85%/0-4% | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
YesOption | No | 250 | 75-89%/0-3% | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
GrowBinary | No | 100 | 75-80%/0-15% | 5.7 / 10 | Visit Now |
RoboOption | Yes | 10 | 70-85%/0-15% | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
EveryOption | No | 200 | 75-85%/0-15% | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
IvoryOption | No | 250 | 70-85%/ 0% | 7.3 / 10 | Visit Now |
Ayrex | No | 25 | 60-80% | 8.0 / 10 | Visit Now |
TradeThunder | No | 200 | 70-80%/0% | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
WikiOption | No | 250 | 75-85% /0-15% | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
365BinaryOption | No | 200 | 75-85% /0-15% | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
BinaryInternational | No | 200 | 70-85% /0-10% | 7.4 / 10 | Visit Now |
ImperialOptions | No | 250 | 60-80% /0% | N/A / 10 | Visit Now |
IG | Yes | 200 | Varies | 8.5 / 10 | Visit Now |
FinPari | No | 250 | 70-85% / 0-15% | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
EmpireOption | Yes | 100 | 70-82%/0-5% | 7.8 / 10 | Visit Now |
BinaryBook | No | 250 | 75-85% / 0% | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
Nadex | Yes | 250 | Varies | 9.3 / 10 | Visit Now |
Oboxee | Yes | 10 | 70-85% / 0-15% | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
InteractiveOption | No | 250 | 75-85% / 0-15% | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
BinaryBrokerZ | No | 250 | 75-85% / 0% | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
WMOption | No | 250 | 70-85%/ 10% | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
365Trading | Yes | 100 | 68-85% / 0% | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
KeyOption | No | 300 | 82% / 0% | N/A / 10 | Visit Now |
HYOptions | Yes | 100 | 80% / 0% | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
PWRTrade | No | 250 | 75-85%/ 0% | 7.4 / 10 | Visit Now |
BMBOption | No | 250 | 80% / 0% | 7.2 / 10 | Visit Now |
PorterFinance | No | 250 | 70-85% | 6.5 / 10 | Visit Now |
Dukascopy | Yes | 100* | 70-90% | 8.5 / 10 | Visit Now |
CWOption | No | 25 | 70-85% | N/A / 10 | Visit Now |
TRBinaryOptions | No | N/A | N/A | N/A / 10 | Visit Now |
OlympTrade | Yes | 10 | 75-92% / 0% | 8.5 / 10 | Visit Now |
BinaryUno | No | 250 | 75-80% / 0-10% | 5.7 / 10 | Visit Now |
TradeSolid | No | 100 | 75-85% / 0% | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
Finmax | Yes | 250 | 70-85%/ 0-15% | 9.0 / 10 | Visit Now |
BuzzTrade | Yes | 250 | 75-85% / 0-15% | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
OxMarkets | Yes | 250 | 70-85%/ 0-15% | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
UboCapital | No | 200 | 75-85%/ 0-15% | 6.4 / 10 | Visit Now |
BillionOptions | No | 250 | 75-85%/ 0-15% | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
OptionStars | Yes | 250 | 60-85%/ 0-20% | 7.4 / 10 | Visit Now |
PrestigeOption | Yes | 500 | 75-85%/ 0-10% | N/A / 10 | Visit Now |
OptionBanque | No | 200 | 75-85% / 0-15% | 7.0 / 10 | Visit Now |
Citrades | No | 250 | 70-85% /0-15% | N/A / 10 | Visit Now |
QuickOption | Yes | 250 | 75-90% / 0% | 7.1 / 10 | Visit Now |
AskOption | No | 250 | 60-81% /0-5% | 7.3 / 10 | Visit Now |
SternOptions | No | 250 | 75-85% / 0% | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
TradePlus | No | N/A | N/A | N/A / 10 | Visit Now |
Binomo | No | 10 | 70-87% / 0-10% | 8.0 / 10 | Visit Now |
PlusOption | No | 250 | 75-81% /0% | 6.3 / 10 | Visit Now |
HighLow | Yes | 50 | 75-85% /0% | 8.6 / 10 | Visit Now |
Bullbinary | Yes | 50 | 75-85% /0-15% | 8.1 / 10 | Visit Now |
TorOption | No | 350 | 75-85% /0-15% | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
PrimeCFDs | Yes | 250 | N/A | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
eXbino | No | 10 | 75-85% /0-15% | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
Binatex | No | 50 | 75-85% / 0-15% | 7.9 / 10 | Visit Now |
Finrally | No | 250 | 75-85% /0-15% | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
ExpertOption | Yes | 50 | 89-95% / 0% | 8.8 / 10 | Visit Now |
72Option | No | 250 | 75-85% / 0-10% | 6.5 / 10 | Visit Now |
BinaryCent | No | 250 | 70-100%/ 0% | 6.7 / 10 | Visit Now |
BinaryOnline | No | 250 | 70-85% /0% | 1 / 10 | Visit Now |
GreenFieldsCapital | No | N/A | N/A | N/A / 10 | Visit Now |
PrestigeFinancialMarkets | No | N/A | N/A | N/A / 10 | Visit Now |
Grand Capital | Yes | 100 | 75-85%/ 0-15% | 7.8 / 10 | Visit Now |
Pocket Option | Yes | 50 | N/A | N/A / 10 | Visit Now |
Option888 | No | 250 | 75-85% / 0-15% | 6.9 / 10 | Visit Now |
uTrader | No | 300 | 75-85% /0-10% | 5.3 / 10 | Visit Now |
RaceOption | No | 250 | 50-70% /0% | 6.3 / 10 | Visit Now |
OptionField | No | 100 | 70-93%/0% | 7.3 / 10 | Visit Now |
Binary24 | No | 10 | 75-85% /0-10% | 7.1 / 10 | Visit Now |
CloseOption | No | 5 | 50-95% /0% | 6.8 / 10 | Visit Now |
BinaryMate | No | 250 | 75-90% / 0-15% | 4.8 / 10 | Visit Now |
Binarium | No | 10 | 70-90% /0% | 7.5 / 10 | Visit Now |
Q8Trade | Yes | 250 | N/A | 6.2 / 10 | Visit Now |
CryptoBO | No | 250 | 70-85% | 4.9 / 10 | Visit Now |
Finarix | No | 250 | N/A | 5.7 / 10 | Visit Now |
NSBroker | Yes | 250 | N/A | 9.4 / 10 | Visit Now |
Binary Options Brokers List 2020
Search Brokers
The word “broker” comes up in about any binary options conversation and that’s because you cannot trade binaries without using one. If you are new to all of this, then you’re probably wondering what brokers are; so here’s the quick rundown: they are the intermediary between the trader and the financial market, so when you want to open a trade, you will have to go through the broker. You will need a brokerage account and then if you want to trade, you will have to fund that account. Here’s when potential problems may arise.
There are literally hundreds of brokers out there, so finding one will not be a problem… Choosing the right one may prove to be difficult because all brokers have different trading conditions.
Learn about the Brokers
Your first concern should be the safety of your money. Is this broker regulated? Are they trustworthy? What do other clients say about them? There have been a lot of scams in the early days of Binary Options and although now things are a lot safer, you will still encounter brokers that try to scam you in various ways. That being said, when choosing your next Binary Options broker, this is one of the first questions you have to ask yourself: is this brokerage regulated by a major financial watchdog like CySEC (Cyprus), ASIC (Australia), FCA (United Kingdom), CFTC (United States), or any other local regulator? Only a few of the unregulated brokers are trustworthy.
Your second concern should be about trading conditions. How much is the minimum deposit? How much is the minimum trade? What assets are they offering? What’s the average return? Will I get a refund in case of a losing trade? If you plan on investing low, you will have to choose a broker with a low investment per trade. If the broker allows you to trade lower amounts per trade, that means that you can stay in the game longer and a losing trade will not be such a big deal.
And finally, the BOTS score. We take everything we just talked about into consideration and translate it into a number anywhere between 0-10. These numbers are also based on client’s opinion, so it’s not only us you can trust but also traders like yourself. For more information regarding each and every broker, click on the brokers’ name.
Choose Your Broker
Trust is a major issue when it comes to these companies because, as I mentioned above, you will have to fund an account with them, so your money will be in their possession. If the brokerage is legit, then you have nothing to worry about, because you can withdraw at any time or use that money for trading and make a profit.
The matters above and much more (like Bonuses, Fees, Commissions, Deposits, and Withdrawals, etc.) are extensively covered in our Broker Reviews. We are doing everything we can to keep our reviews comprehensive and up to date, so don’t let our work go to waste. Use it!
Best Binary Options Trading Brokers for 2020
Below you will find a list of Binary Options Brokers that offer various binary contracts for trading. Although the term may appear to be very confusing, it’s not that complicated. A binary option is a sort of a contract with a value, expiration date and determined conditions of winning. By purchasing it, you technically make a bet. Most common wager is to predict whether the asset’s price will go up or down from a certain level and stay there until the option expires. Most tradable assets are currencies, indices and some commodities. There used to be much more brokers offering binary options, but many regulatory authorities placed restrictions and prohibited that kind of trading.
Binary options for the retail market were instituted in 2008 when the first description of this product was approved by the US Securities and Exchange Commission. The initial description of what is now known as US-style binary options was based on assets that were listed on exchanges, with traders pitting their bets against each other.
A short while later, a different model of binary options was developed and introduced to the world by brokers based in Europe and Israel. This model (European-style binary options) was essentially based on off-exchange trading of CFDs. However, what followed was years of unwholesome practices and remarkable scandals, which led to the shutdown of the industry in Israel by regulators there, and in the UK and EU region by the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA).
The industry is presently undergoing a self-cleansing, and we now have offshore brokers who are showing better commitment at playing by the rules and ensuring their clients get a good deal for their money.
What led to the near collapse of the binary options market?
The answer lies in only one direction: shady brokers and their agents all over the globe. But perhaps some portion of the blame can go to regulators, who were generally very slow in rising up to the occasion to protect the clients, whose money constituted the entire financial backbone of the market.
Brokers are meant to create markets for their clients to trade and are supposed to ensure transparency and safety of trading venues, while maintaining some level of neutrality. However, what occurred between 2020 and 2020 was a situation where a lacuna in regulation led to the emergence of fraudulent entities. These fly-by-night operators set up “brokerages” that were essentially criminal enterprises, specifically designed to rob traders of their hard earned cash. These scam brokers devised several means of ripping off their unsuspecting customers.
A) A common method was the use of call center agents, who unscrupulously obtained contacts of prospective traders and literally harassed them into making ever-increasing deposits, with promises of helping them reap bountiful returns on their investments.
B) There was also the use of volume requirements for incentive bonuses, which were tied to the ability to make withdrawals. Traders soon found out that achieving these volume requirements was practically impossible, thus ending any opportunity at retrieving capital or profits made.
C) In some brazen instances, agents in the brokerage house would access trader accounts from the back end, and execute trades that had been deliberately configured to lose on those accounts. There is at least one case known to the writer where $5,000 was stolen in this manner. Prosecutors and law enforcement agents presently have warrants on the identified personalities behind that brokerage.
Perhaps the case that brought binary options into very negative light, prompting calls for an EU-wide ban, was the unfortunate case of a Canadian investor who lost his life savings after patronizing a shady brokerage entity. The eventual suicide of this investor was the breaking point; EU and UK regulators took action and shut down binary options in Europe and the UK.
Lessons learnt
It is not only traders that suffered from the criminal activities of the scam brokers. Legitimate brokers such as Binary.com paid a very heavy price, as they lost a significant amount of the market share in an industry where they could be said to be the pioneers. Binary.com (which is listed below as one of the best binary options brokers of repute today) and several other legitimate companies around the world were forced to make major changes to their operational models, in an attempt to improve transparency and to bring back badly eroded investor confidence into the market.
Some of the changes which have been introduced include:
A) Restriction on issuance of bonuses, a lot of which is now provided as cashback for volume trading.
B) Robust trader education, in order to ensure that only informed traders use the binary options platforms.
C) Provision of demo accounts, which many of the defunct brokers never provided for their clients. No longer will traders be deprived of the opportunity to test their strategies and learn the process using virtual accounts.
D) Enhancement of the analytical tools on the platforms, to replace the archaic methods of the old order which provided traders with only line charts and zero tools for analysis!
E) Elimination of confusing binary options bet types and sticking to the classical binary options.
F) Getting their entities regulated in the countries of operation, to enhance user protection and boost broker accountability to enforcing regulatory institutions.
G) Incorporating new asset classes (e.g. cryptocurrencies) to the mix.
Criteria used in broker selection
In selecting the binary options brokers displayed in our list below, the following parameters were used in the process of consideration and selection to ensure that only the most genuine brokers are available for you. We have thus made the process simple, knowing that it is quite a challenge for traders to be able to select these brokers on their own.
The issue of regulation cannot be emphasized enough. The only way traders are going to be protected is by regulating the binary options providers they operate with. Anything short of this will be inviting the old demons back. Regulation also provides for greater accountability and ensures that investor confidence is never lacking in the market.
2) Corporate Governance Structure
A look was taken at the structure with which the listed brokerages operate. Many of them have been around for more than 9 years, and have invested in improving their platforms and trade offerings. These brokerages also have properly defined corporate hierarchy and a face to which the company can be tied to. For instance, the CEO of Binary.com is well known. Olymptrade has a very active presence in an online forum in Africa. Brokerages like Go Markets have officials who are also well known. There are no faceless companies in our list.
3) Openness and Reachability
The brokers listed here all have verifiable contact addresses and can be reached by phone, email and social media channels. Compare this with the old order where some brokerage operations were essentially husband/wife run establishments, operating out of a kitchen (yes, a “binary options broker” was found to be just that several years ago).
4) Trade Conditions
The trade conditions for each broker were also reviewed. For instance, we looked at factors such as stability of the platform, uptimes and downtimes, accessibility of customer support, latency of price and data feeds as well as how the brokers handled counterparty risks. Brokers that were found wanting were eliminated from the list.
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